When we finish editing our problems in our editing software, the first obstacle we face (after lack of hard disk space …) is often the format in which we decided to export our video. Whether digital or physical. We are faced with a list of video codec names that we sometimes have trouble entering. And that also scares many amateur friends.
Which internet user has never searched for a codec or codec package to play a video. And if not, then at best you only heard the audio … As I wrote in another article, the video codec will mainly depend on the medium in which your video is sent in. In fact, it is not as simple as the image, which is often enough to export in jpeg or other format so that it can be seen anywhere. Video has this major drawback choosing the correct codec based on streaming platform.
The concept of containers and codecs.
To illustrate what a container and a codec are, imagine a jar (container) containing letters (codec). The video player that will “decode” this file can be compared to someone who holds the key to the pot. And who puts the letters together to make words and then meaningful sentences? Basically, the container is the file that can be related to a box or jar that contains video codec, audio codec and sometimes even the subtitle file. When you have a video in .avi or .mp4 or .mov or even .mkv, the container ends after the period. What videographers are also used to call “video format”.
For example, for .mp4, the container is MP4. So far so good. And then in this container there can be Mpeg4, H264 or x264, which are video codecs.
Accompanied by the audio track which may be in mp3, AC3 or AAC, but we will return to the audio codecs in another article. And since we don’t just like doing things in the video, these video codecs can also be found in other containers …
Yes, otherwise it would be too easy. So the main concern found in the video is this famous lack of compatibility that ALL multimedia platforms have. Being able to play a video file if a codec package is not installed before. In fact, each codec has an association with this or that manufacturer (Windows, Apple, etc.).
The main containers
My goal here is not to make a complete list of existing containers today. But rather to give you the most useful, the most widespread. And especially its compatibility according to the multimedia support you want to distribute them to.
.MP4
So it can contain Mpeg4, H264, x264, XAVC, VP9 (YouTube codec), H265 and even Mpeg2 (super logical, we agree …). That’s why so many people get confused with codecs! MP4 is widely used, but unfortunately it is not supported everywhere. It runs on the latest smartphones and tablets. But this does not happen in, for example, multimedia DVD players that have a USB port, such as
.MOV
The Apple-owned Quicktime container. Very popular with publishers on Mac with Final Cut. This container can contain a sacred package of codecs (DV, Divx, WMV, Mpeg2, H264, x264, DVCPRO …). But unfortunately it is only almost compatible only on Apple (Mac, Ipad, Iphone) and PC after installing Quicktime.
.AVI
The King Container from the 2000s, but which I think is destined to disappear very soon. Except for those who want to watch standard definition videos. It may contain DV, Divx 5, Xvid and even H264 codecs, but I do not guarantee the comfort of reading or editing with this container for HD content. Except for HDV format.
.MKV (Matroska)
The successor to AVI for HD, Full HD, 4K and also 8K! Free Container is the container I advise you to use when exporting your videos (or RIP for your Blurays) 🙂 so they are compatible almost everywhere. It can contain Divx, Xvid, Mpeg2, Mpeg4, H264, x264 and H265 (also called HEVC, the new codec), and you’ll probably forget it. It has great advantages over other containers. For example, managing subtitle tracks in various formats, chapter support. You can also embed attachments, such as illustrations, for example (cover or cover). And finally, it also allows you to “chapters” from videos like Bluray’s creation.
.mts.MTS (and .M2TS)
The AVCHD (Advanced Video Codec HD) container is often found on Sony and Panasonic cameras. It is MPEG-4 and it also has a declination for Bluray discs that are M2TS (Mpeg 2 TS).
